Whilst none of us want to be stuck in the white-shirt-black-skirt rut, finding the balance between smart and fashionable workwear can be tricky. In this woman’s world, we need to look utterly professional whilst holding on to all our sass, so we’ve come up with some fabulously stylish but professional business casual for women.
We’ll be conquering trends such as the leather pencil skirt, wide-legged trouser and the figure hugging Kim-K work dress for all you office professionals, as well as some great business casual style options for a more relaxed look that’s still uber smart and oh so chic. We’ll also be showing you which styles work best with your figure and why… so let’s get started!
Wide leg black trouser
Style: Smart business casual
Great for: Slimming hips and bum and lengthening legs.
Top tip: Always tuck in top/shirt with high-waisted items.
First up is the classic black trouser with a twist. The wide-leg trouser is back and it’s looking fabulous! With an array of styles to choose from, this style is amazing for slimming down wide hips and lengthening those legs.
Whilst the high-waist accentuates your smallest part, it also creates the illusion of a higher starting point for your legs, making them look super long. The wider leg cut skims your hips and bottom, taking the fullest part of your shape further down the leg instead of highlighting your behind, plus, like our mums told us… black is always slimming!
If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, why not try an interesting texture or print for your outfit? Team this lovely leather pair with something softer such as a blue cotton shirt, then work your fashionable workwear to its advantage by swapping your top or simply adding a statement necklace and wear them right through ‘till night on a Friday!
For added slimming powers (and added pizzazz) give vertical stripes a go. Team them with a soft white shirt or blouse such as this one, for a super smart and stylish combo.
Leather pencil skirt
Style: Smart
Great for: Accentuating or creating curves.
Top tip: Wear a loose-fitting blouse or shirt to contrast the leather.
Next up is the oh so chic leather pencil skirt. While there are many shapes, lengths and colors available, we chose some light-colored items in preparation for spring. Smart, sexy and super flattering, the pencil skirt has been a favorite for women for years, and we think it’s probably because it is flattering on pretty much every body shape.
Whether you already have that fabulous hourglass shape or are more of an apple or tube or anything in-between, the pencil skirt will either accentuate the curves you have, or create them!
Clinching in at the waist, tuck in a loose-fitting cotton or chiffon blouse into your leather pencil and let your body do the talking. Keep it classy and elegant with neutral tones and a classic pointed-toe heel to compliment this fashionable workwear look.
Kim-K work dress
Style: Smart
Great for: Showing off curves
Top tip: Wear with a pointed toe heel.
Next up in the fashionable workwear collection is what we like to call ‘The Kim-K Office Dress’. If you have curves to die for, like Kim’s, you absolutely must invest in at least one of these dresses for work.
Super flattering, these body-con style numbers highlight all your feminine best bits whilst keeping the flesh on show to a minimum; they are the absolute epitome of sexy and smart in one! Since they are so figure-hugging, we’d recommend keeping the color fairly neutral, although a dark colored hue, such as teal or mauve, would be fine too.
High necks are very fashionable at the moment, and we just love this nude colored number (fourth in line) and the grey sleeveless beauty with a gorgeous roll-neck. Whether you keep it simple in black or go for color, it is your shape in these dresses that will make the impact… whoever knew we could look so fabulous at work?
Tapered trouser
Great for: Creating curves on slim figures
Top tip: Be adventurous with color and print!
The tapered trouser is great for a number of reasons. Not only is it super comfortable whilst looking really smart, it’s also very versatile. Wear these trousers with a fantastic pair of heels when you’re feeling sassy, or a simple pair of pumps or slippers (not the wear-in-the-house kind) on days when you need to be more on your feet.
Go for a leather brogue or velvet slipper for an added touch of jazz, they look great with both! The other reason that tapered trousers are so fab is because you can get away with a crazy print and they’ll still look mega smart.
Just be sure to team a printed trouser with a plain colored shirt or vice versa, and you’re ready to knock ‘em all out with your fabulously fashionable workwear!
Bold pencil skirt
Great for: Accentuating or creating curves.
Top tip: Wear with collared shirt or structured crop.
Whilst we’re on the jazzy vibe, let’s talk about the vast array of bold pencil skirts ready to be introduced to your wardrobe! It is our belief that a fashionable workwear wearer simply must own at least one bold colored or printed pencil skirt, because, well because they’re fabulous.
Don’t be shy to wear a print on your bottom half, it seems we are all up for a printed top or blouse, but when it comes to skirts or trousers, we tend to be a little scared. Come out of that non-printed shell, ladies! It’s time to embrace pattern, color and texture and show them what we’re made of.
It’s always good to show some personality through your clothing and a bold pencil skirt shouts fun, confidence and strength all in one. Stand out at work by expressing your inner power and stupendous style!
Casual wool dress
Great for: Comfort & smartness combined
Top tip: Pair with a chic leather ankle boot
Now, moving on to the slightly more relaxed workwear style, we have four great business casual wool dresses. Dresses are always a winner on those days when you’re not feeling inspired to bother putting an outfit together, or the days when the desire for those few minutes of extra sleep override getting ready time!
Simple, clean-cut and super chic, these dresses combine comfort and smartness together perfectly. They can be worn with tights in winter, or bare-legged in autumn, making them a really versatile, essential wardrobe piece. Also, try layering up with a crisp white shirt underneath in winter for added interest and warmth!
Minimal Mango T-shirt dress
Great for: Showing off legs and hiding lumps and bumps
Top tip: Wear a good T-shirt bra underneath to ensure a smooth silhouette
These gorgeously stylish numbers from Mango ooze the ultimate blend of business casual. Effortlessly chic, you’ll be smart, professional and oh so stylish strutting your stuff at work in one of these monochrome T-shirt dresses.
Whether you go for plain black, white, V-neck, round neck or a hint of leather, you really can’t get better than these for comfortable and stylish workwear. At these high street prices, we think it’s well worth having a white one for Spring/Summer and a black one for all year round.
Wear the white bare-legged with a chic leather pump or slipper, and in the winter the black with opaque black tights, again with a pump, slipper or leather ankle boot.
Casual monochrome work dress
Great for: Bloated days
Top tip: Add some simple silver jewelry for added chicness
Whoever thought workwear could be so comfortable? These fashionable workwear dresses will have you feeling comfortable all day, whilst looking smart, stylish and sophisticated. Let’s be honest, some days, work or no work, we just don’t feel like squeezing into a skin tight body-con number, and ultimately, why would we when there are these gorgeous casual options on offer?
The oversized bag shape looks great on slim or larger frames and highlights a great set of legs! These monochrome numbers are proof in the pudding that smart needn’t be stiff. Wear with a classic pair of ankle boots or leather loafers for an all-round relaxed fashionable workwear look.
Loose-fitted black dress
Great for: Understated fabulousness
Top tip: Wear all year round, with or without tights
As Neiman Marcus once said, “Women who wear black lead colorful lives”. This, plus the fact that black always has and always will be effortlessly stylish, is why every woman needs one of these laid-back black dresses hanging in their wardrobe for all those rainy days when you want to inject some color into your lives… with well, black (it made sense when he said it)!
A loose fitting black dress will not only make you look great on days when you maybe don’t feel so, you can be sure that it will pretty much never go out of fashion, so it’s actually more of an investment than a purchase, even if you buy all five, right? (ahem). But seriously, this sort of elegant style is timeless and you can also wear it at any time of year, with or without opaque black tights.
Try adding a black roll-neck or white button-up shirt underneath for winter… layers can add a dimension to an outfit, so experiment, see what works best! Lastly, add an ankle boot, this style of dress looks fab with an ankle boot.
So there you have it! Fabulously fashionable workwear, from the minimalistic Mango T-shirt dress, to the full blown Kim-K body-con. Don’t think for a second that smart and professional need mean boring, be it smart or business casual, get creative with your workwear! You’ll feel more creative, more confident and more excited to wake up in the morning for it. Let’s play dress up every day, not just at the weekends!
Add Comment